Chapter 22
Anya
This whirlwind of the shit storm doesn’t show signs of letting up any time soon.
The news articles have been a constant stream of Kodi and his injury.
He had to “remain in the hospital” for a few days to match the timeline that it would take a human to be stabilized enough to go home after the injury he suffered.
Then, even after discharge, he had to keep up with doctor’s appointments to look as though he was consulting with different specialists before the news dropped that he would be retiring due to his injury because of the risk of becoming paralyzed if he took another hit like that.
He still hasn’t had any kind of breakdown about being forced into retirement, and I worry about his lack of reaction to the news. Even his usual light demeanor hasn’t taken a hit. He’s trying to go about everything all business as usual, but I can tell it’s eating at him
The distraction from everything going on with Kodi is bleeding into hockey. I can’t focus. We lost a game last night that we should have won.
I usually never do anything for our Christmas week off because I don’t have anywhere to go, but I really think Kodi needs to get away for a bit. Somewhere cold and desolate so he can connect with his bear and unwind.
I’m just walking out the arena doors after my meeting with Coach when Kodi’s mermaid tail colored truck pulls in to pick me up. He’s taken complete and total responsibility of making sure I get everywhere I need to go, especially now that he can’t practice or be a part of his team.
“Hey, hot stuff! Need a ride? I’m headed in your direction!
” he hollers dramatically out the rolled down window.
The me before Kodi would have turned every shade of red and ran for the hills.
Now that I know his obnoxious happiness is just part of his personality, him being himself without the sadness behind his eyes, makes me beam.
Playing along with his silliness, I lean against the truck. “Oh, I don’t know. I don’t think my boyfriend would like me getting a ride home with some random guy.”
He scrambles out of the driver’s seat and around the truck to scoop me into his arms and toss me in the front seat of the truck, kissing all over my face and grumbling into my neck.
“I know you were talking about me but it still made me unreasonably jealous to even consider your hypothetical situation.”
I have an idea but I don’t know how Kodi will receive it, so I need to get him all buttered up before I present it to him.
Kodi and I have talked about our familial situations at great length, but his situation is so much different than mine.
It’s not that he doesn’t have people that truly love him, he just feels like he can’t go back after everything.
Meanwhile, my life was not the loving environment that he grew up with. I basically don’t have family.
That’s why I’m standing over the stove, making one of his favorite meals, while he hopped in the shower. He had pouted and eyed me skeptically because I wouldn’t join him, but I couldn’t get distracted. Not yet.
When he finally makes it back to the kitchen with his nose in the air, his eyes brighten. “Do I smell what I think I smell?”
Smiling wide while keeping my eyes on the butter melting in the pot, I answer, “You do. I wanted to make your favorite to cheer you up.”
His eyebrows crease together. “Why would I need cheering up? I’m in a great mood.”
Shrugging in nonchalance, I reply, “I just want to make sure you stay that way. I know the lack of football has been weighing on you.”
His shoulders droop slightly at the mention of football, but only for a moment before he picks them back up and beams at me. He makes his way next to me, kissing me on the side of my head and holding on to my hips while I cook.
“If you’re going to be in here trying to distract me, make yourself useful and get our plates and silverware out,” I tease when his hands leave my hips and start venturing out across my body.
After finishing off our country-fried steak, mashed potatoes, and green beans, it’s time to execute the next part of my plan to butter Kodi up to my idea.
I get up from my seat, collecting our plates and taking them to the sink to rinse before placing them in the dishwasher. He’s sitting in his seat on the far end of the dining room table where he can see the whole kitchen. Just watching me. My every move.
Fully aware of his attention, I saunter back to him, swaying my hips with dramatic exaggeration. Approaching him from behind, I settle my hands on his shoulders and begin kneading his tense muscles. He groans and leans into my movements, his head falling back with his eyes closed.
“That feels so good,” he grumbles pleasurably.
I lean down nipping at his ear as I whisper, “I can make you feel even better if you want.”
His eyes fly open as he nods with renewed enthusiasm. It nearly killed him when the doctors told him he couldn’t have intercourse for a week to allow his spine to fully heal. It took some convincing, but he had finally allowed me to take care of him while he was down for the count.
“Shall we take this to the bedroom then?” I ask as I trail kisses down his neck, teasing the edges of the mark I left on his shoulder.
He springs from his seat, scoops me into his arms, and darts down the hall toward his room that he demands I refer to as ours, though it’s hard to remember. When he reaches the bed, he gently tosses me onto the soft material and stares at me with those sweet goo-goo eyes he gets every so often.
I flush beneath his stare, his eyes burning a path across my body, and he hasn’t even touched me yet. You’d think the intensity would wear off, if even just a little bit, but it doesn’t. If anything, it only continues to grow with my love for him.
When he finally moves to approach me, I begin to wriggle myself from the confines of my clothes, completely ready to be ravaged by my mate. What he doesn’t know is that this time, I intend to be the one doing the ravaging.